James Berich
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ReCore
But the sum is lesser than its parts and nothing ever quite reaches the high highs that these games that came before it did. Everything is still enjoyable, mind you, but there’s just something missing. Some extra polish, the little details, that keep ReCore from being an instant masterpiece of...
Vampyr
Vampyr is another fantastic concept from DONTNOD that falters ever so slightly in its execution. The story, the world and its characters are all oddly compelling, despite some visual and technical shortcomings. Despite its issues, Vampyr is a rare instance in a game where I felt like my choices meant...
Fire Emblem: Three Houses features some of the most refined and enjoyable battle mechanics the series has seen since its successful renaissance with Awakening. But the renewed focus on support relationships gets in the way of what some may have valued most from the franchise – the strength of its...
Metal Gear Survive had the potential to grow into something unique but now it’s just an uninspired mish-mash of poorly balanced systems that translates to an experience that feels like a chore. The story is frustrating, the only aspects that are great are the ones carried over from Metal Gear...
But its price on the Australian Playstation store is truly the only thing that feels slightly off about it. While the game is offered at US$25, here in Australia it’ll set players back at least AU$40. Don’t get me wrong, it still represents fantastic value, but it just feels like...
Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle brings together two of PlatinumGames’ best, giving them a fresh coat of paint to stand up to the visual standards of this decade. Vanquish is the clear winner of the two here, with some visually fantastic improvements, but both play just as well as...
Dishonored 2 is a huge triumph, managing to achieve the lofty goal of outdoing its predecessor in almost every way. But it’s an experience that must be played right to be enjoyed right. This isn’t a game that will be enjoyed by constantly saving and reloading to avoid detection. It’s...
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is easily the best and most robust collection of classic Capcom fighters so far. While the lack of crossplay is still a disappointment carrying over from Capcom Fighting Collection, everything else about this collection shines bright. It is a truly exhaustive compilation...
Outriders
Outriders combines immense variety, aggressively geared combat and fun abilities to offer a third person shooter like no other. It’s filled to the brim quality content – bringing a stellar campaign that’s constantly throwing new things at the player and a compelling well-designed post-game experience in Expeditions. Teething issues with...
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the classic Mario & Luigi experience that fans have been clamouring for since Bowser's Inside Story. While there are significant pacing issues that means the game takes a while to get going, a simple but engaging battle system and incredibly intriguing second half of the...
Dead Island 2
Dead Island 2 stands firmly besides its predecessor as only a marginal improvement. While there something to be recognised in the flexible skill system and satisfying dismemberment effects, Dead Island 2's lack of objective variety and uninteresting playable characters fall short of its potential. There's still some fun to be...
The point is that if you want to involve yourself in the story completely, the game lets you. There’s several journal entries dating back some time that help get you into Max’s character and her thoughts long before you even started playing as her. You feel like you’ve been put...
